like ash to a flame
by MedusaOfTheSpecies
Summary: The first time Ron meets Hermione, she's burning. :: Salem Witch Trials!AU, for the QLFC finals and the Hogwarts Muggle History Assignment.


**like ash to a flame**

Synopsis: The first time Ron meets Hermione, she's burning. :: Salem Witch Trials!AU, for the QLFC finals and the Hogwarts Muggle Studies Assignment.

…

There is a dangerous energy in the crowd, a violently oppressive one Ron can feel down to his bones. Harry's breath is hot on the back of his throat as they push through the crowd of screaming onlookers.

"Third one in a week… this town is cursed," Harry says quietly, his voice dangerously low to avoid any unnecessary eyes on them. "Dumbledore said to be quick about it—in and out. Cast a charm on the girl to make sure she doesn't burn, then cause a distraction and apparate her out."

"Where is Dumbledore anyway, mate?" Ron asks, casting a glance around him. A man dressed in all black scowls as Ron accidentally steps on his foot with his lanky frame and Ron shrugs back an apology.

Harry lets out a bitter snort. "Not near enough to even talk to me, that's for sure. He's been avoiding me ever since they got my parents. I'm not even angry anymore, I just need to talk to him."

"I'm sorry, Harry," Ron says sympathetically. "Maybe if we get this one home safe, yeah? I'm sure he'll talk to you soon — can't ignore his prodigy forever, Merlin knows."

At Ron's words, Harry shifts uncomfortably, avoiding his glance, and Ron knows, after a childhood's worth of friendship, that something is up with him.

"What did you do this time?" Ron says with a sigh. Around them, the crowd grows restless, waiting for another witch to burn, and Ron can't help but bitterly think that Harry has the worst timing ever.

"He can't avoid me now if he doesn't know I'm coming. If you could — if you would do this — I could change things with Dumbledore. You know what to do, Ron, right?"

Ron sees black in worry, but he can't let his anger show. There's not enough time in the world to describe what's wrong with that plan, especially since Harry is far too emotional to listen.

"Just go," Ron says, sighing to himself, and Harry barely has time to clasp his shoulder in thanks before the crowd surges forward and Ron finds himself almost at the front, watching as two burly guards lead a young girl with curly hair and a lifted chin to the front.

"Another witch has been found!" The town's mayor exclaims, his voice rising over the crowd's cheers, vicious in the sadistic glee. "May we continue to rid our town of this filth and purge our streets of those born against God's will! Now, what shall we do with this one?"

Even though he has witnessed this countless time, Ron cannot help but be horrified at the Muggle's cruelty. How hateful must you be to hate your own people just because they have magic in their hearts and bones?

"Off with her head," someone in the crowd calls, and soon, the chant is repeated over and over, gaining in both passion and volume. On the stage, despite the men that hold her too tightly to be comfortable and the way she leans on one side — a limp, Ron notes, something they'll have to fix — she stands as tall as possible, jaw set with something that can almost be called arrogance and eyes shining with an intelligence that's he's never seen in somebody whose about to die.

It happens in small motion, the mayor lits a match and prepares to set the girl aflame, when she smiles and Ron has a sinking feeling in his heart that something is very, very wrong.

"No. Put that down."

Almost in slow motion, the mayor drops the matches and the crowd goes so quiet that Ron can hear the ragged exhale of his breath. How could they have missed a real witch alongside them?

As Ron's mind races, the girl turns to the matches, cradling them in her hands, and then, so quickly he almost misses it, she whispers something and the area erupts into tall flames. Gasping, Ron whirls around as people begin to run and scream madly. In the corner of his eyes, Ron catches the girl running despite her limp, and chases after her without a second thought. This situation has already gone too wrong for him to consider abandoning it.

"Great timing, Harry," he whispers under his breath as he approaches the girl. She's quick on her feet, agile, but he has several feet on her and it makes a difference.

"My name isn't Harry," she says, turning around suddenly. Ron trips over his feet as she faces him. "Now, why are you chasing me? You're magical too, right?"

Ron gapes at her and she rolls her eyes. "Oh please," she says, "I'm not an idiot. Before they tried to kill me, I've seen other witch burnings. I've even saved a few girls — those you didn't get to in time. I've seen what you and that black-haired partner of yours do. Salem isn't that big. Now, I ask again: your mouth is open, sound isn't coming from it. This is never good."

Blushing scarlet at the way she has unrattled him, Ron says the first thing that pops into his head. "You could have killed them, you know. There were children there."

The girl rolls her eyes. "I can't take this anymore. You're kidding me, right? They picked me to die and I was very kind. The fire isn't that hot. They'll live, unlike how I would have. You just need to get over it. There's no justice in the world and there isn't anything you can do about it."

Those words irk at Ron's soul. How could she say that to him, who has been fighting and trying to save everyone he could for so long? "Listen to me," Ron says desperately. "The human world is a mess, but that doesn't make what you did right."

"Easy for you to say," she shoots back. "You and that organization have it easy — I've seen you all, coming in like heroes. I could have died any damned day and it's the first and last day anyone ever puts me in this position. If they want to be witch hunters, I'll be a slayer. I will make them regret all of it.

At her words, Ron feels his heart soften. He knows that feeling every day, the way helplessness makes you feel angry and bitter and restlessness. Perhaps he's foolish, but she reminds him of all the people he's fought with — she looks like the kind of person who'd change the world if she could.

With that, Ron makes a snap decision. "I'm Ron Weasley," he says, reaching out his hand. "Have you ever heard of the Order of the Phoenix?"

"Hermione Granger," the girl says back. "And no, I haven't. But I'm listening."

 **…**

Written for:

Muggle History: Task #1: Use the phrase "off with his/her head!" in your story - in a serious, non-humorous manner!

Character Appreciation: Order of the Phoenix

Disney Challenge: Sebastian - Use the dialogue, "Listen to me. The human world is a mess."

Shannon's Showcase: I'm A Celebrity… Get Out Of My Ear - Making someone say and do whatever you tell them to.

Book Club: Miles Richter: (trait) intelligent, (action) limping, (word) arrogant

Showtime: Class - (quote) "Ain't no justice in the world and there ain't nothing you can do about it."

Days of the month: World Book Day - Write about a bookworm

Count Your Buttons: (song) "Aquaman" by Walk the Moon, (object) Matches, (dialogue) "I can't take this anymore," (character) Ron Weasley, (word) kill

Lyric Alley: Oh, the storm is raging against us now

Tv Show Of The Month: Buffy Summers - (character) Hermione Granger, (dialogue) "[name], your mouth is open, sound is coming from it. This is never good," (AU) Slayer

Liza's Loves: Stoneheart (origin episode 1) - Write about being picked for something

Caffeine Awareness: Americano - Write a story set in America

Scavenger Hunt: Write a fic about a first and a last

Jewel Challenge: Hematite, Ring: Write about someone who people are naturally drawn to, Bracelet: Write a fic set on a battlefield, Necklace: Write about someone who could do with a little less stress in their life

Library Lovers: Practical Magic - Alice Hoffman

(Plot Point) Write about being different, (Plot Point) Write about acceptance, (AU) Witches


End file.
